He gave up just two hits, one run and one walk in six innings in the second game of a Midwest League doubleheader after spending three months at the Los Angeles Angels' training facility in Tempe, Ariz.

“I was honestly just excited to get out of extended spring training,'' he said.

There, he focused on command. DeLoach always had good stuff, but wrestled with control through college and last year with Orem (Utah) in the Rookie Pioneer League, where he walked 16 and hit two batters in 12 innings while racking up 15 strikeouts.

As a junior with the Seahawks, he led the team with 27 walks in 36 2/3 innings while striking out 43 before forgoing his senior season after signing with the Angels.

In extended spring training, he consistently threw fastballs, change-ups and curve balls for strikes and he said it carried over into his season debut, in which he needed only 60 pitches to complete six innings. He followed it up Friday with another six-inning, two-hit, one-walk, six-strikeout start to earn his first career victory.

“I struggled with control at Wilmington because I think I was always trying to make perfect pitches,'' he said. “I gave hitters too much credit instead of making them have to hit pitches. Facing hitters with wood bats kind of helps, too. It kind of eliminates a lot of the dinky hits you give up. I learned when you get ahead, finish guys off.''

In his first pro start, he picked off three runners. He was perfect in the second, fourth and fifth innings, sandwiched around a third-inning double and RBI single.

“I could not have been more pleased, but I have to get ready for the next start,'' he said.

“In the bullpen, you may not pitch for a week or 10 days, and not pitching consistently is something I have struggled with and did in Wilmington,'' he continued. “It is hard for me to maintain confidence. Starting you don't have to worry about any of that.''

The Angels kept him in extended spring training until early June and then gave him permission to return to Roanoke Rapids for eight days before they intended to reassign him to Orem.

“Extended can be pretty exhausting, so it was nice go home and see my family for a few days,'' he said. “I expected to be there a little longer. You can't get mad when you get a call saying you are being moved up.''

Short hops

UNCW's Chris Hatcher leads the Pacific Coast League with 23 saves – eight more than the closest challenger. … Former Seahawks pitcher Seth Frankoff has not given up an earned run in his past four relief appearances for Stockton in the Single-A California League. Opponents are only hitting .167 against him in 23 appearances.

<p>Former <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic71"><b>UNCW</b></a> pitcher Tyler DeLoach made an unexpected, yet noteworthy, start for the Burlington (Iowa) Bees on June 15 in a minor-league baseball game.</p><p>He gave up just two hits, one run and one walk in six innings in the second game of a Midwest League doubleheader after spending three months at the Los Angeles Angels' training facility in Tempe, Ariz.</p><p>“I was honestly just excited to get out of extended spring training,'' he said.</p><p>There, he focused on command. DeLoach always had good stuff, but wrestled with control through college and last year with Orem (Utah) in the Rookie Pioneer League, where he walked 16 and hit two batters in 12 innings while racking up 15 strikeouts.</p><p>As a junior with the Seahawks, he led the team with 27 walks in 36 2/3 innings while striking out 43 before forgoing his senior season after signing with the Angels.</p><p>In extended spring training, he consistently threw fastballs, change-ups and curve balls for strikes and he said it carried over into his season debut, in which he needed only 60 pitches to complete six innings. He followed it up Friday with another six-inning, two-hit, one-walk, six-strikeout start to earn his first career victory.</p><p>“I struggled with control at Wilmington because I think I was always trying to make perfect pitches,'' he said. “I gave hitters too much credit instead of making them have to hit pitches. Facing hitters with wood bats kind of helps, too. It kind of eliminates a lot of the dinky hits you give up. I learned when you get ahead, finish guys off.'' </p><p>In his first pro start, he picked off three runners. He was perfect in the second, fourth and fifth innings, sandwiched around a third-inning double and RBI single.</p><p>“I could not have been more pleased, but I have to get ready for the next start,'' he said.</p><p>“In the bullpen, you may not pitch for a week or 10 days, and not pitching consistently is something I have struggled with and did in Wilmington,'' he continued. “It is hard for me to maintain confidence. Starting you don't have to worry about any of that.''</p><p>The Angels kept him in extended spring training until early June and then gave him permission to return to Roanoke Rapids for eight days before they intended to reassign him to Orem.</p><p>“Extended can be pretty exhausting, so it was nice go home and see my family for a few days,'' he said. “I expected to be there a little longer. You can't get mad when you get a call saying you are being moved up.''</p><h3>Short hops</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic71"><b>UNCW</b></a>'s Chris Hatcher leads the Pacific Coast League with 23 saves – eight more than the closest challenger. … Former Seahawks pitcher Seth Frankoff has not given up an earned run in his past four relief appearances for Stockton in the Single-A California League. Opponents are only hitting .167 against him in 23 appearances.</p><p><i></p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic16"><b>Chuck Carree</b></a>: 343-2262</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @StarNewsSports</i></p>